Do you dislike tilling? Have you heard about lasagna gardening yet? If not, you may want to read up on this popular gardening technique that allows you to do more with less work. It’s also referred to as “sheet composting” or “layer gardening”. It’s a no-dig, no-till method that provides the gardener with rich and fluffy soil, perfect for vegetable and herb gardening.
“Just like the lasagna you cook, your lasagna garden has to be layered in a general order.
- The first layer of your lasagna garden is either brown corrugated cardboard or three layers of newspaper. The space underneath the cardboard and newspaper will attract earthworms to your lasagna garden because it is dark and moist. Earthworms help make the waste into soil. Worms will also help keep this new soil loose.
- Lay the cardboard or newspaper directly on top of the grass or weeds where you want your garden. The grass or weeds will break down fairly quickly because they will be smothered by the newspaper or cardboard, as well as by the materials you are going to layer on top of them.
- Wet this layer down to keep everything in place. Water also helps waste break down.
- Put a layer of browns (leaves, shredded paper) on top of the cardboard or newspaper. Put a layer of greens (vegetable scraps, grass clippings) on top of the brown layer. Layer until your lasagna garden is about two feet high.
In general, you want your “brown” layers to be about twice as deep as your “green” layers. There is no need to get this exact. Just layer browns and greens, and a lasagna garden will result. What you want at the end of your layering process is a two-foot tall layered bed. The layers will ‘cook down’ (compost) in only a few weeks.” -via “GreenThumbscedwvu.org”
Read the full article here: “Accessible Gardening: Lasagna Gardening”
